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“We have to leave. Now.” I dropped my shoes on the floor and locked the door. In the bedroom, I shoved a few things into a small carry-on suitcase—jeans, T-shirts, underwear, a light jacket.
“You’re going to help me?” He appeared at my side.
“Yes.” It was perfect, really. It would buy me a few days to figure out how to handle Victorine’s ultimatum that I mate.
She’d be furious at me for slipping away from my own ball, and even madder that she didn’t get to make her midnight announcement. But I was banking on the fact that she’d forgive me as long as she didn’t find out who I’d left with.
Meanwhile, I could prove to Rafe—and to myself—that Victorine wasn’t working with Slayers, Inc., because he’d created enough doubt in my mind to make me uneasy. I needed to know, one way or the other, before I made a final decision about Étan and the lieutenancy.
“How did you get here?” I dragged off my dress as Rafe watched, two vertical lines creasing his forehead.
“Tonight? By motorcycle.”
“What about to Montreal? Did you fly or drive?” I pulled on skinny jeans and a turtleneck, both gray. For once, I was glad of my monotone wardrobe. Easier to blend into a crowd.
“I took a flight to Toronto and rented a Honda to drive the rest of the way. I figured your mom has people watching the Montreal Airport.”
“You’re right.” I stepped into low black boots and grabbed my laptop and a pair of silver stilettos from a wall safe hidden behind the bedroom mirror. “Can your Honda carry two people?” I sheathed the knives in my boots and tucked the laptop into my suitcase
A nod. “It’s a mid-size bike—has a V-twin engine. What’s going on, Zoe?”
I gave him a confident grin to cover the slamming of my heart. “We’re going to Paris.”
His eyes narrowed. “To find Zaq?”
“If he’s really there. But you have to get me out of here without anyone knowing.Now.”
12
RAFE
Iwasn’t sure why Zoe had changed her mind about helping me, but I wasn’t going to give her time to rethink it.
“I’ll get my bike,” I told her. “Can you get out of the tower without the guards knowing?”
Zoe gave me a don’t-be-ridiculous look. “Yes. But we have to hurry. They’ll come looking for me any second now.”
“Meet me on the other side of the gates. I’ll wait for you at the bend in the road.”
She nodded, picked up her suitcase, and faded into the shadows. I snatched up my bowtie and jacket, leapt onto the windowsill and followed her. I only had enough juice for a few seconds in the shadow dimension, but that didn’t matter, because as soon as I landed in the garden, I powered my glamour and came out of the shadows.
My glamour felt solid. Thanks to the blood-wine I’d drunk, I’d be able to power it long enough to get off the island.
I retrieved my bike from the parking lot and rode across the causeway. The guards waved me through the gates. Zoe must have been running alongside me, because when I pulled off the road to wait for her, she was right there.
“Go.” She swung onto the bike behind me, a sexy cat burglar in a hoodie and black leather jacket.
We made a quick stop at the rental house for my things. Zoe kept watch in the foyer while I stowed my stuff in the duffel bag and changed into jeans, a T-shirt and a leather jacket. When I came back downstairs, she was peering through a sidelight.
I looked over her shoulder. “Any sign of your mom’s men?”
“Not yet.” She reached for the door knob. “Ready?”
“Not quite. There’s something I haven’t told you.”
She turned around, eyes wary. “What?”
“Victorine didn’t just threaten me and my brothers. She said that if I ever touched you again she’d consider the treaty broken. If she finds out, the blood feud’s back on.”
